TESTING FOR ETHICAL SENSITIVITY TO RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH AMONG MULTI-NATIONAL STEM RESEARCHERS

摘要

The "Four Component Model" of moral behavior developed by Rest, and applied to professional ethics by Bebeau and others argues that ethical behavior is a consequence of four factors: (1) ethical sensitivity, (2) ethical judgment, (3) ethical motivation and commitment, and (4) ethical character and competence. The majority of theoretical and pedagogical research in the field of Ethics Education in Science and Engineering (EESE) has centered on ethical judgment. Significantly, relatively little work has been done on ethical sensitivity in EESE even though ethical sensitivity provides an individual with the range of concrete considerations upon which that person makes ethical judgments. Ethical sensitivity determines an individual's ability to recognize in any given situation what ethical issues are at stake, the possible consequences of actions, the rights and obligations of the individuals involved, and the ethical principles that are pertinent to the situation. In this regard, ethical sensitivity precedes ethical judgment. Moreover, an individual's ethical sensitivity determines to a significant extent the range and boundary of his or her ability to make appropriate ethical judgments. The Four Component Model has been used extensively in the study of professional ethics and in the design, development and assessment of programs geared toward professional ethics training and education. It is only relatively recently that it has begun to be used in the study of the responsible conduct of research (RCR). In recent years, two instruments for measuring ethical sensitivity in science and engineering have been developed, namely, the Test of Ethical Sensitivity in Science and Engineering (TESSE) developed by Borenstein, et al.6 and the Test for Ethical Sensitivity in Science (TESS) by Clarkeburn.7 Although both investigated ethical sensitivity to issues arising from out of science and engineering, neither focused primarily on assessing ethical sensitivity of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) researchers to the responsible conduct of research.